COMMANDER of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division Major General Romeo S. Brawner Jr, is now certain that the New People’s Army (NPA) units operating in northern Mindanao will soon be eradicated after several top ranking officials have surrendered and now actively supporting the government’s anti-insurgency campaigns.
“Focused military operation, coupled with community support programs, will spell defeat for the NPA in the region,” said Brawner.
Brawner even underscored the vital role of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in steering the wheel, sustaining the momentum on the government’s peace efforts, and now reaping the gains in the fight against the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
He said the RTF-ELCAC has helped accomplishing and neutralizing the communist group in the region.
RTF-ELCAC helps to solve the insurgency, said Brawner adding that a holistic and inclusive process which responds to the basic needs of our communities.
“The support of the local officials and regional government agencies are the driving force that fueled the participation of the civilians to stand firm and fight to solve the insurgency problems,” he said.
He said the people have seen that their government leaders, civil-society, and key heads of the indigenous cultural communities are serious in their collective task to end the local communist armed conflict.
“The whole of nation approach has been the common language that resonated to all peace seeking partners of ending over 5 decades of insurgency problem in Caraga and Northern Mindanao regions,” said Brawner.
While the AFP and other law enforcement agencies run after the communist armed component, the government agencies led by the local leaders address the roots of the problem and implement development projects, according to Brawner.
“Now, we can say that the communist group crumbles like no other before and clearly nearing on its collapse and eventual end,” Brawner said.
Meanwhile, 4ID public affairs chief Major Francisco Garello said 35 high ranking communist leaders and key personalities have been neutralized since January 2021.
“They either surrender, arrest or killed during encounters that paralyzed the ranks of the communist group,” said Garello.
He said the leadership now also loom and vacuum particularly the recent surrender of the head of NCRMC’s Guerilla Front 4A (GF4A) and the capture of a Central Committee member.
Since the assumption of Brawner on July 5, 2021, Garello said some 85 communist NPA leaders and members have surrendered, apprehended and killed during military operations.
Also total of 94 high and low-powered firearms were gained since Gen Brawner assumed, according to Garello.
He said a total of 377 NPA members have been neutralized with a total of 334 high and low-powered firearms obtained, since January this year.
Earlier, Khim Agad Mapoy alias Patrick, the secretary of the dismantled GF4A of NCMRC surrendered to the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion in Agusan del Norte.
It said that NPA forces are now at its lowest morale due to the series of setbacks of their organization in Caraga and Northern Mindanao regions.
Garello also said the capture of Secretary Manuelito Satur alias Musong and Deputy Secretary Merlyn Satur alias Maya of NCMRC’s Sub Regional Committee 1 in a joint police and military operations in Gingoog City on September 16, 2021, is another devastating blow to the operations of the communist rebels in Mindanao.
Another former secretary of Far South Mindanao Regional Party Committee (FSMR), NDF consultant and CPP-NPA-NDF Central Committee member Adelaida ‘Loida’ Magpatoc, was also captured in Brgy Paitan, Quezon, Bukidnon. (Ben Balce)
